


Realization

by RogueLioness



Series: Thedosian Tales [5]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:42:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25683718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueLioness/pseuds/RogueLioness
Summary: He wants her, but she belongs to someone else.
Relationships: Implied Solas/Female Lavellan
Series: Thedosian Tales [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1862428
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	Realization

He was sitting in a cozy corner of the tavern, the warmth from the fireplace a pleasant contrast to the chilled beer in his hand. He eyed the blond tavern wench, the one who’d been sending him signals all evening long, and had been about to approach her when the Inquisitor - Neria - burst into the tavern, gasping for breath, eyes darting around from one corner to another. When she spotted him, she let out a little squeal, a mangled sound of laughter and excitement. “Krem! Just the person I need!”

“What’s going on?” Krem cautiously put down his drink on the table, careful to avoid the sticky patch that inevitably made him spill his drink.

“I’ll explain later, just hide me for now!” Neria exclaimed.

He took another swig of the ale. “Nope. Last time I helped you, I lost a week’s worth of wages trying to bribe my way out!”

“I’ll buy you drinks for a week,” she pleaded.

“No.”

“Two weeks.”

That was a more interesting offer, but Krem still wasn’t convinced. The last time he’d helped the Inquisitor, he’d ended up hanging upside down, having fallen victim to a prank that Sera had meant for Neria.

He’d had bribe Dalish with promises of a new crystal for her ~~staff~~ bow.

“Not worth it.”

“A month, then. _Please_ , Krem!”

A month was certainly an offer worth taking up. Worst case scenario, even if he ended up with his knickers on his head, he’d be able to order enough booze to drink the shame away…

“You’ve got a deal,” he agreed, knocking back the last of his beer and setting the tankard back on the table with a thud. “Now, you said you wanted to hide?”

“Yes! And soon!”

“I have just the place for you. Follow me.” And he did too; the broken tower that no one used had a small corner that was cleverly hidden away, and he knew many of the recruits snuck away there to smoke elfroot, away from the Commander’s stern gaze. He briefly debated over giving away their spot, then decided that Lavellan was laid-back enough to keep their secret.

They quietly moved up the stairs, crouching down behind the stone palisade as they made their way towards the crumbling tower. “So,” Krem began nonchalantly, “who are you hiding from?”

“Solas” she whispered, grinning. That caught his attention.

“What did you do?”

“I _might_ have dispelled the barrier he placed over the rotunda…”

Krem groaned. It was bad enough getting caught in the prank wars Lavellan often held with Sera, but getting tangled up in a lover’s quarrel was a bad, bad idea. “The one that prevents the spymaster’s ravens from shitting all over his space?”

She nodded.

“ _Why?”_

_“_ It was only meant for for an hour at the most! How was I supposed to know that he’d fall asleep on the sofa there? I mean, that’s what beds are for, right?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Please don’t tell me that he ended up with bird shit on his bald head.”

“… not _just_ his head…”

“Maker, Lavellan!” Krem huffed. “What have I gotten myself into?”

“Hey, you agreed to help me, you can’t back out now!”

“Why do I have a feeling a month’s worth of beer isn’t going to be enough?” he muttered. “Fine, I did say I’d help. Come on.” He helped her into the room, pointing out the spots where the wooden floor was most rotten and brittle. “You see that corner? I reckon your elf doesn’t know about that place. You’ll be safe enough there.”

She sniffed delicately. “Why do I smell elfroot?” she asked, puzzled.

Krem shifted, raising a hand to run through his hair. “Ahhh, you see… that is… some people…” he had to move his gaze away from Lavellan’s knowing one. “You won’t say anything, right? To the Commander?”

“Your secret’s safe with me,” she reassured him. “Creators know that the man could use some elfroot himself,” she muttered, and he gave a startled laugh.

“What? It’s true,” she replied cheekily. And in that moment, something in Krem twisted as he saw her as though for the first time, with the golden sunlight drifting in through the gaps in the wooden slats that blocked the many windows giving her a halo, her eyes lit up with laughter and life, hair unbound and flowing freely down her back, she was beautiful and good and kind and _magnificent_ , she was suddenly everything he’d never known he’d wanted, and his gut clenched as he spotted her pulse beating at the base of his neck, wanting desperately to know the taste of her.

“Krem?” she asked, her voice laced with concern.

_She has a lover._

_“_ He won’t find you here,” he muttered, and fled the room.


End file.
